Saturday, 11 February 2017

Christina Who our latest Shadow Welsh Secretary or Bungee Boss.

I suppose we can be forgiven for asking Christina who as Jeremy Hunt appointed Christina Rees as the new Shadow Welsh Secretary.

The Neath MP has been appointed to the role following the resignation of Cardiff Central’s Jo Stevens.

She is the fifth person to hold the Shadow Welsh Secretary role since the 2015 election, succeeding Ms Stevens, Paul Flynn (Newport West), Nia Griffith (Llanelli) and Owen Smith (Pontypridd).

Why I'm reminded of this.?

So she is hardly first choice,

Jeremy Corbyn said

“I’m pleased to announce appointments to Labour’s shadow cabinet. We have a wealth of talent in our party and the strength of our shadow team will develop Labour’s alternative plan to rebuild and transform Britain, so that no one and no community is left behind.”

Ms Rees, who qualified as a barrister, is passionate about squash and represented Wales more than 100 times. She was Sport Wales Female Coach of the Year in 2008.

In a Westminster Hall debate in July, she said:

“Playing for Wales, representing my country and pulling on that red shirt was one of the best experiences of my life, but finding a youngster and coaching them through from being a beginner to playing for Wales, and watching them develop skills and tactical maturity, is much better.”

I hope she's not one of those who think that having a Welsh sports team is enough to express our National Identity

In the same debate, she described the role sport had played in her life, saying:

“I was very shy when I was a child and was bullied, so my mother sent me to judo classes to strengthen me up. I got a black belt first dan when I was 13 and a fourth dan in 1974.”

She joked:

“I may come across as being rather feeble but I do have a dark side, so be very scared.”

At Cynffig Comprehensive School, near Bridgend, she became head girl. She was a member of the GB Youth Team at the Munich Olympic Games.

The Wasting Mule tells us Ms Rees was formerly married to ex-Labour Welsh Secretary Ron Davies who was instrumental in the creation of the Assembly.

In 2011 she was Labour’s Assembly candidate in Arfon but lost to Plaid Cymru’s Alun Ffred Jones.

However, in 2014 she was selected to stand in Neath, then the seat of former Welsh Secretary Peter Hain. In the contest for the Labour nomination she beat Mabel McKeown, the daughter of comedian Tracey Ullman.

On 11 Jul 2016:Christina Rees was absent for a vote on Wales Bill — Schedule 1 — Devolution of Policing Powers to the Welsh AssemblyShow full debateOn 11 Jul 2016:Christina Rees voted to devolve powers relation to alcohol and entertainment licensing to the Welsh Assembly.Show full debateOn 11 Jul 2016:Christina Rees was absent for a vote on Wales Bill — New Clause 2 — Welsh Thresholds for Income TaxShow full debateOn 12 Sep 2016:Christina Rees voted to allow public sector bodies to operate rail services in Wales.Show full debateOn 12 Sep 2016:Christina Rees voted to devolve powers relating to air passenger duty to the Government of Wales and the Welsh Assembly.

So a bit more positive than some Labour MPs but as we face the actuality of Brexit we are going to nees strong voices in Westminster as well as the Assembly.Ms Rees could use her new Job to speak for the interest of Wales rather than a Labour Party who seemed to have abandoned , the fight.I am wiling to give a chance and hope that she sees her role as representing Wales in Westminster and the Shadow Cabinet rather than representing Westminster and the Shadow Caninet in Wales.All of her predecessors have chosen the latter. But Ms Rees is probably unsackable at the moment she could use the opportunity to stand up for Wales not only against the Tory Government but her own Party who regard the electorate here as mere Voter Fodder.